


To Really, Super Like Someone

by BlueRoboKitty



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Dating, Day At The Beach, Established Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Love Confessions, M/M, casual f-bomb drop because it wouldn't be a bluerobokitty fic without one, it's fine to swim in your underwear, shy keith is very shy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 17:06:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7810189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueRoboKitty/pseuds/BlueRoboKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance and Keith have been together a while, but they're still getting used to it. Especially Keith, who has no experience with dating whatsoever. </p><p>4th place prize giveaway: Lance and Keith on a date at the beach, and Lance teaches Keith how to swim.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Really, Super Like Someone

**Author's Note:**

> Fourth place prize fic in my giveaway for [lovethetrash.tumblr.com](http://lovethetrash.tumblr.com). Congrats! :D

Keith had to admit that he was impressed. Like, really impressed.

Occasionally, Lance did impress him, but Keith never held his breath for such moments to occur. Nothing against his boyfriend, Keith wasn’t dating him for the thrill of it; Lance was cute, funny, and comfortably predictable and that he often failed to impress Keith regardless of his efforts was one of those endearing things about him.

The planet they landed on was similar to Earth’s, although much smaller and not the first Earth-like planet they’ve encountered since serving the universe. No humanoids, according to the scanners. Keith wondered out loud if this was what Earth must have been like before humans evolved, and Lance added with no small amount of enthusiasm that maybe they would see dinosaurs. A picnic with dinosaurs, that _would_ be the kind of date Lance would try to set up for them.

They didn't encounter any dinosaurs, much to Lance’s disappointment, but a disappointment that dissolved the moment the Red and Blue Lions touched down on a hill overlooking a beautiful beach. Waves curled over each other and spilled into white foam along the shore, pulling back and then gently surging forward again, sparkling aqua-green in the sunlight until it faded into a deep, deep blue closer to the horizon where gigantic clouds of pure white fluff gathered. By the time, Keith disembarked from Red, Lance was bouncing on his feet by Red's mouth, huffing impatiently, ready to go down the hill already, blankets and towels slung over his shoulder. 

Keith had to practically run to keep up with the long strides of Lance’s spider legs as the Blue Paladin led them down to the beach like it was his mission. Soon enough the grass lessened then disappeared entirely, and Keith’s boots sank into soft, golden sand. He fought the urge to strip his feet and bury his toes. Lance was already enjoying the sand between his toes, having dumped his shoes and socks back in the cockpit. The breeze that carried a refreshing fragrance of saltwater brushed through his jacket and his short strands of brown hair and there was such a _smile_ on his face, Keith almost dropped their picnic basket as he felt his face warm and his heart beat a little faster.

“You okay?” Lance asked with a tilt of his head and a little laugh, and if he didn’t stop being cute right this instant, Keith was going to start yelling. “You got a freaky look on your face. Not a beach kind of guy?”

“N-no, I like the beach just fine,” and Keith _cringed_ when he heard his own voice crack under the pressure.

“Just in complete _awe_ of how _awesome_ I am at pickin’ out spots for our dates?”

“Yes, I am completely ecstatic.”

Lance pouted a bit. “Hm, I sense sarcasm.”

“Well, that’s your problem because I’m being serious.” He did have to look away from Lance’s scrutinizing frown. It wasn’t like these things mattered to Keith, not really, he had never dated before so what would he know? He enjoyed all his private moments with Lance, and that was enough. They didn’t get these moments often, not when there was an entire universe out there that needed defending. They had been together for what felt like the better part of a year, yet Keith could count on his hand how many dates they’ve been on.

Four. This would be their fourth date. Over six months and only four dates. That sounded bad even to Keith’s inexperienced mind. Otherwise, the most they’ve had was some hot making out during their scant minutes of privacy, kisses that have since grown to the point of leaving Keith dizzy and weak. He liked that just fine. His needs were pretty simple, actually. Lance was the one who insisted on them going somewhere special at the slightest opportunity. 

Lance eventually tugged him to a shady spot under some trees that looked no different from the palm trees back home, right down to the rough golden bark arching over their heads and the long stalks of the leaves in various green hues. Beyond them, more fluffy clouds dotted the azure sky, and Keith found himself staring in wonder as he helped set up their lunch. It was breathtaking, such a shock after spending so much time in an endless void filled with only stars.

“Keith?”

He blinked and looked back at Lance. The first thing he noticed was how those pretty eyes were, as blue as the sky above them. Immediately after, he noticed was that Lance had lost his jacket and shirt, and his hands had paused in the middle of unzipping his pants.

“Wh-what are you _doing?”_ No amount of willpower could stop the blood rushing to Keith’s face in a tidal wave of embarrassment. How could this guy just strip down so casually like that!? Yeah, sure, they both had bathed with thirty other dudes in the open back at _boot camp,_ but that was boot camp not real life.

Lance looked at him like there was nothing weird going on here whatsoever, his eyebrows twisted in a quizzical expression. “Um. Going for a swim before we eat. Y’know, because you’re not supposed to go swimmin’ twenty minutes after eating?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a myth.”

“Whatever. The water looks _amazing_ and I ain’t waitin’ around another minute. You comin’?”

“I don’t have anything to swim in.”

What did he expect, really? They were on a beach, of course Lance would want to go in the water. Keith could hear his own blood pumping hot in his ears.

"You didn't find any swim trunks?" 

"No." 

Lance shrugged and grinned. "Neither did I. It's whatever, just swim in your underwear.” And, yup, there went his pants. Right off his hips to spill onto the blanket they had laid down. Keith stared at the palm tree next to him like it was significantly more interesting than his nearly naked boyfriend standing there in just his boxers. Blue of course. With cute little yellow stars and planets with rings. Space-themed boxers in space. So cute. Why was he so cute?

“Or are you wearin' tightie-whities?” 

Lance wasn’t helping, even if he was just being his usual playful self. In fact, Lance wasn’t behaving any differently than normal, and, actually, Keith had seen him in just his underwear, stark naked even, a million times already. Back in the Castle. With everybody else. Running around all over the place preparing for battle, clothes flying in all directions while alarms blared overhead about an imminent battle with the Galra. But he had never seen Lance like this alone, together, pretty damn close to naked, without the adrenaline of duty keeping his thoughts from straying.

“It’s fine if that’s all you’re wearin’, I promise I won’t look.”

_“I can’t swim!”_

It was the first excuse that popped in Keith’s head, so he’d snatched it and tossed it out of his mouth without actually considering the words at all.

Lance stared at him for a long moment. “Really? Wait, how… how did you even pass water survival training?”

“Determination.”

Keith felt a little guilty that Lance looked genuinely impressed with him. “Well, you weren’t at the top of class for nothin’, I guess. Alright, looks like I got no choice. Off with your clothes. I’m gonna teach ya how to swim.”

“That’s alright, I’m fine.”

Lance frowned, hands on his hips, fingers splayed over the bones peeking from the waistband of his boxers. “Uh huh, and what if somethin’ happens while we’re out fightin’? What if we end up on a _water_ planet? What are ya gonna do then?”

“I’m sure I’ll figure something out,” Keith replied with a shrug.

“Yeah, we’re figurin’ out somethin’ _now._ I’m teachin’ you how to swim, let’s go. Clothes off!”

Keith realized he had made a horrific mistake, but too late now, there was no way Lance was going to let this go. He tried to look as nonchalant as possible as he began peeling off his own clothes from his jacket to his gloves and his boots. “T-turn around, pervert,” he muttered, and Lance turned around with a snort as Keith hooked his thumbs over his waistband to push his pants down his legs. Black boxer-briefs hugged his thighs and the curve of his hips, and actually weren’t a bad alternative to swim trunks.

The water was pleasantly cool, the calm current lapping at his ankles like a playful kitten. Keith could see the colorful scales of fish that darted about with each step he took, flashing in the light beneath the surface, again awestruck how closely this place resembled Earth. Lance took his hand as they waded out further, and Keith was pretty sure his entire body set itself on fire.

Why was he being like this, it was just _Lance,_ his boyfriend, yeah, but still just _Lance._ Yet, it was always like this, every date they went on, Lance would take him somewhere and Keith would lose every ability to get a grip.

The tide gently pushed against him, almost mischievous as it tried to knock him over. They were waist-deep now, and Lance took his other hand with a grin. A really wide grin. He was downright _giddy_ about something. “This should be deep enough. Now hang onto me while you kick.”

Keith narrowed his eyes. “Does that actually work?” He remembered using a kickboard when he was a little kid, so he supposed it was the same principle. He also remembered scenes just like this very moment in those stupid “harem” anime Lance was obsessed with that Keith sometimes ended up watching with him because the training deck was occupied and he had nothing better to do. He very much doubted Lance was thinking of the kickboard technique.

Lance’s grin only grew wider, and Keith wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know what kind of weird thoughts he was having right now. “Of course! First things first, you gotta learn to trust me, young Padawan, yeah? I’ve been swimmin’ since before I could walk. I ain’t gonna let you drown, a’right?”

Lance looked so happy, so proud to be teaching him something that Keith couldn’t bring himself to put an end to the farce, so he nodded and grasped Lance’s forearms. What could it hurt to indulge him a little bit? Keith couldn’t be any more embarrassed than he already was.

This whole situation probably would have been significantly less humiliating if Keith actually wasn’t _already_ a decent swimmer.

“Wow, you are _bad_ at this!” Lance cackled as Keith floundered his legs all over the place because if he did kick them properly, he would torpedo right over Lance and the jig would be up. “Don’t kick so hard. Try not to lift your feet out of the water. Point your toes. Small kicks. Like you’re a dainty ballerina!”

As Keith’s nervousness grew, the struggle of pretending to not know how to swim lessened. There was something weirdly intimate about this, the cool water wrapped around him, the sun shining warm and bright above, the sound of gentle waves, the taste of salt, and Lance staring down at him with bright eyes and a brighter smile, holding onto his arms, letting Keith trust him to not let go. “There ya go, you’re doing so good!”

“Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not, I mean it!” He laughed again, dimples in his cheeks and crinkles at the corner of his eyes. A meteor was more than welcome to crash into the planet any moment now. “Seriously, you’re a natural at this. You’re just like a natural at everything you do, aren’t ya? And your booty looks so _cute_ wigglin’ out of the water like that.”

“I knew it! I knew this was just a pervert thing!”

Keith kicked his legs and launched right into Lance like a shark, knocking the Blue Paladin into the water with a massive splash, fish scattering in all directions at the sudden disturbance. Lance burst from the surface with a splash of his own as Keith raced back toward shore, and then the pair started running around the water like children, trying not to laugh too hard unless they wanted a mouthful of ocean. They danced around each other, laughing, smirking, looking for an opening, then watery chaos as they tried to all but drown the other. Keith wasn’t entirely sure what they were competing for, it wasn't like they could get any wetter, but it was _fun_.

And being with Lance really was fun, a lot of fun. Despite their shaky relationship in the beginning, their petty rivalry evolved through a bond of teamwork and trust into an actual friendship and then into something much more. Now their rivalry just added some spice to their relationship.

At some point, blind by the erupting water, they collided and fell in a tangle of limbs. The water was barely ankle deep here, where Lance had chased after him. Tiny waves pressed lightly against their bodies as the ocean ebbed and flowed all around them. Keith enjoyed a moment of having Lance pinned beneath him, and then long dusky fingers swept his wet hair behind his ear. His heart slammed against his chest for a few beats, and then Lance leaned up into him to press their mouths together. Keith gave in to that kiss immediately with a soft moan, Lance sucking lightly at his lip, his mouth soft and salty and a little cold. Lance had been a good kisser from the start, and this time was no different as the tender coaxing of his lips and tongue turned Keith’s brain into mush, and the cold kiss grew hot.

It was over too soon, and Keith slowly opened his eyes to stare at Lance who looked just as breathless and mushy as he felt. Then Lance smirked at him. “When are you finally gonna admit it?” he said thickly.

Keith’s heart skipped. “Admit what?”

“You know what I’m talkin’ about. And you might as well, it’s not like I don’t already know. I just want to hear you say it.”

Keith shifted a little. He supposed he couldn’t keep up with that charade any longer, embarrassing as it was to admit that he had made something up like that to begin with. “Okay, you’re right. I actually do know how to swim.”

Silence for a moment. “Heh?”

Keith scratched his cheek, looking away as he rambled, “I know, I lied, I’m sorry, I was just, I dunno, you were stripping down to your underwear and I just got a little overwhelmed and it’s not like I didn’t want to swim with you but, um, I dunno, um, ummm…” He trailed off, feeling very lame.

More silence as Lance tried to process what was being said to him. “Wow, I was _not_ expecting _that,”_ he finally remarked. “Wow. But, yeah, you have been actin’ really shy since we got here. That’s why I suggested the swim, I thought it would loosen you up a bit.” He grinned. “And it worked!”

Keith did feel a lot better now that he thought about.

“But that’s not want you _really_ wanna tell me, is it?” Lance said with a suggestive wiggle of those meticulously trimmed eyebrows of his.

“It’s not?”

“Fuck, Keith, you’re such a _tease._ You know I’ve been waitin’ for a long time. How you’re finally gonna tell me that you, y’know, the _el_ -word?”

El-word? _Oh!_

“Oh, that I love you?” Keith snorted. “Uh, yeah, of course I love you, dork. I’ve been in love with you long before we started dating. I thought my actions made it pretty obvious. But, I mean, if you want me to actually tell you then I don’t have a problem with – uh, Lance?”

Lance’s jaw had dropped open and his eyes were all but popping right out of their sockets. “Wha- _what!?”_ he stammered, and vivid crimson exploded from his shoulders to his ears. “WHAAAAAT!?”

Keith rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed now with Lance’s dramatics. “Okay, it can’t be that shocking, c’mon.”

“Of course it’s shocking! You are so shy when we’re on a date, I have to practically drag you along, and yet you’ll just throw ‘love’ out there like it’s no big deal!”

“You just said you wanted me to say the ‘el-word’.”

 _“I meant **LIKE!!!**_ I wanted you to tell me that you _LIKE_ me! I wanted you to admit that you are totes into me, that you really, super like me, but – oh my god. Oh. My. God.” Lance covered his face with his hand, and Keith could practically see the steam rising from his head.

“Technically, love is really, super liking someone,” Keith pointed out.

“Yeah, but that’s _different,”_ Lance squeaked, actually _squeaked._ “There are all kinds of likes from _‘I kinda like you’_ to _‘I super duper so seriously like you like you wouldn’t even believe!’_ and then there’s _LOVE!_ You can’t just say ‘love’ all casual like that. It’s a _special_ word. The moment has to be right and stuff.”

Keith shrugged. “Okay. This moment feels right. So. I love you. That’s all there is to it.”

“Ohmigod, I can’t even with you right now.”

Keith didn’t think it was possible but Lance became even redder, and he could feel the heat radiating off his skin. With a chuckle, Keith pulled Lance’s hand away from his face and gave him a soft kiss. Had he known this would embarrass Lance so much, he would have confessed his feelings a long time ago and teased him with it mercilessly from then on. It certainly helped ease his own shyness.

Maybe it was because Lance always seemed so confident and experienced that made Keith so nervous during their dates, unsure how he could ever be at the same level the guy who already seemed to know exactly what he wanted. Now, Lance was the one blushing and flustered, proof that Keith wasn’t alone at all in his feelings – Lance was just able to hide his better.

“ –ove you, too.”

Lance mumbled so low under his breath, Keith almost missed his words entirely. “What was that?”

“I said I really, super _like_ you, too!” Flushed and annoyed, Lance pushed away from Keith with a huff, standing to his feet. “C’mon, let’s go eat lunch before it gets cold. I put a lot of thought into these sandwiches, and you’re gonna really, super like them whether you like it or not.”

Keith couldn’t hold back his snort, and then he was tugged to his feet as Lance snatched his hand and pulled him onto the beach. He found himself grinning at the flush spread over Lance’s freckled back and interlaced their fingers without the slightest hesitation this time. He felt a slight jolt of surprise from Lance's arm before his fingers gave their hands a little squeeze in return.

Whether he realized it or not, Lance always knew the right, perfect way to help Keith feel better. And that was pretty damn impressive.


End file.
